


Don't Feel

by corsair



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-10
Updated: 2014-04-10
Packaged: 2018-01-18 20:07:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1441159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corsair/pseuds/corsair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robin Hood misplaces Regina's heart. Regina takes advantage of the situation to take him up on his drink offer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Feel

Regina moved her legs forward very slowly. It was strange that they had never seemed this heavy before. Wasn’t not having a heart supposed to make things easier? She stopped suddenly, close enough to the archer for him to hear her but farther away than was normal.

“I came to thank you.” Regina held her eyes shut as the words fell from her mouth. As soon as her lips stopped moving her eyes opened and probed Robin’s expression expectantly.  Robin was silent so Regina augmented her initial statement. “… for hiding my heart.”

Robin looked at Regina apologetically.

“I did tell you to hide it for me.”

“I understood that.” He spoke the words slowly. “I took your request seriously. I did what you told me to do. I hid your heart.”

“Then why are you behaving like you failed?”

“Well…” he spoke cautiously, choosing every word with decorum, “it would seem that I am either a better hider than you gave me credit for, or one of my fellow thieves stole it.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I’m afraid not, highness.”

“So what you’re saying is – “

“ - Your heart is lost. No need to fret! I have my best men on it and I am searching for it personally as well.”

“Well I hope you find it.” Regina did her best not to emphasize the ‘you’. “You have 24 hours to make sure my heart is returned to me.”

Regina spoke with the same commanding air she was used to affecting. It had proved itself useful for getting things done while hiding her vulnerability in the past. It occurred to her that there was nothing to hide. Without her heart she could not feel and without feelings she could not be hurt. Maybe being heartless for 24 hours would have some benefits. She stepped closer to the infamous bandit.

“In the meantime,” she took another step closer, “you still owe me that drink.”

Robin smiled involuntarily. “So I do. Shall we meet tonight, then?”

“Tonight would be ideal. Meet me at Granny’s. 10 o’clock.” She leaned in and whispered “don’t be late” before she walked away.

 

 

9:55 pm.

 

Regina stood outside Granny’s. She could see Robin Hood through the large glass windows. He was sitting alone at the bar.  She was early, but he was earlier. She idly wondered how long he had been there. She hesitated as she reached for the door handle. The moment carried a feeling of déjà vu but this time would be different. This time there was no fear to hold her back.

She adjusted her coat, opened the door, and walked into the diner with more confidence than she could have ever mustered with her heart. The bell on the door chirped lightly. The noise caught Robin Hood’s attention and he turned to see Regina.

“I’m happy you made it, your majesty!” he said the words with a genuine smile and with a hint of surprise in his tone. “Would you prefer to sit at a table, in a booth, or at the bar?”

“The bar.” Regina answered quickly. “There’s one stool that I’m particularly fond of.”

“Then lead the way.”

Regina sat on her favorite stool and Robin sat next to her.

“So tell me milady, what’s your poison?”

Regina held back a laugh. If he only knew the extent of her past there was no way he would have chosen than word. “Cider.”

“Very well then!” he gestured for the bartender. Granny came over. “May I have one cider and one whiskey – on the rocks – please?”

Granny eyed Robin’s date suspiciously before asking “do you have any preference for brand?”

“Not particularly. Whatever has a nice oaky finish to it.”

“Alright.” Regina sensed the distain in Granny’s voice but now was not the time to start a fight. Granny went to the other end of the bar to fix their drinks. Regina turned to Robin and opened her mouth to say something but before she could manage a word Granny was back with their drinks. They thanked the woman and she went on her way to tend to other customers.

Robin spoke first. “If you would be so kind as to tell me, how did you end up with a reputation for being the ‘Evil    Queen’?”

Regina paused for a moment. There was no easy answer to this question. She looked down at her glass and rotated it a quarter of a circle before settling on “my past is less than pure.” She considering giving him more details but decided against volunteering anything too grim before he had a chance to know her as Regina.

Robin took the opportunity to pry, “It can’t be that bad. I’m a thief. I’ve stolen from countless people and I have even shot a few.” He smiled at her charmingly and tilted his head to the side in an attempt to lower her guard. Regina lamented that lust wasn’t something you felt with your heart. She still had to deal with how ridiculously handsome he was.

“For now all you need to know is that the title has truth to it. I’ve done some horrible things. For starters I did curse an entire land.” She wasn’t going to tell him any more than this tonight. “I’ve changed since then. The details of who I was aren’t important right now.”

“No, I suppose not.” He looked at her intently. “I’m far more interested in getting to know who you are now.”

Regina smiled at the man, but the tender moment was interrupted when he suddenly excused himself and ran outside. She looked out the window. Robin was talking to a man who she assumed was one of his merry men. He was far dirtier than Robin Hood was. The sloppily dressed man handed Robin a small satchel – one Regina recognized as her own. _Oh no, not now._

Robin hurried back in and excused himself for his sudden and rude behavior. He went on to explain that his cohort had found the heart and he didn’t want to waste any time before giving it back. Regina felt like she was under water. Robin Hood’s words weren’t clear and everything seemed distorted. She absentmindedly reached out for her satchel and coughed up a “thank you.” She told him she wanted some privacy and went headed for the bathroom.

She locked herself in a stall. She figured the best way to do this was to get it over with. She held her breath and shoved her heart back inside her chest. She let out a slight gasp and then she couldn’t breathe. She sat down and put her head between her legs. _This is ridiculous. You are a queen! Pull yourself together!_

She stood up slowly and left the stall, electing to stand over the sink for the time being. _You were doing fine before! Don’t let this change anything!_ She desperately tried to talk herself into finally meeting the man with the lion tattoo for a drink. _Why are you intimidated? He should be intimidated by you!_ As much as she told herself these things she could not trust her own words. She stood behind the door to the two-stall bathroom trying to find the courage to open it and face Robin Hood again.


End file.
